What are family for?
by xxnuttynicxx
Summary: okay folks, this is one thing that wouldn't leave me alone, family bonding, hope you enjoy. As always reviews are welcome, criticism also welcomed. Although flames better have a reason!


This is my first thunderbirds fan-fic, so please be nice, Unfortunally the characters are not mine, though I wish they were!

As always reviews are welcome, criticism also welcomed. Although flames better have a reason!

All mistakes are my own!

A bit of family bonding.

Nicky xx

Alan groaned as he rolled over to smack the alarm clock it couldn't be seven a.m yet, he had just got to sleep. He cracked open one eye then forced the other eye open the room swam as he tiredly pushed himself up to a sitting position. He sat there until he could focus, he could feel the headache throbbing behind his eyes 'not what I need right now' he thought as his stomach churned dangerously he took a few steadying breaths and started for the adjoining bathroom for his morning shower, he shivered as he caught his reflection in the mirror, he looked like hell he was paler than usual, he had rings under his eyes and he could see the pain lines around those tired eyes.

"Perfect!" he mumbled as he headed for the shower, allowing the warm water to course it's way down his chilled body warming him, sighing he towled off, and started to get dressed, as he bent down for his shoes, the churning in his stomach rose so fast that he barely had time to reach the toilet on time, empting the contents of his stomach this early meant for a bad day, he felt miserable he knew he was coming down with the flu, it was inevitable the whole school had come down with it, that was why he was home on Tracy Island the flu epidemic had closed the school two weeks early before summer break. He groaned he really wanted to start the Thunderbird training early so he could still have time to relax.

He headed out of his room to the top of the stairs as a bout of vertigo hit him, he barely managed to grab the banister as he shook his head to clear the vertigo, he really wanted to crawl into bed and sleep but he had promised John to help him clean Tracy One while his other brothers cleaned their birds. He reached the bottom of the stairs and headed for the kitchen knowing full well that he was the last one down he could hear his brothers laughing about one of Virgil's ideas for the summer getaway they usually tried to go on. He sighed as he entered the kitchen.

Jeff looked up as his youngest strode in the kitchen, "Morning Alan" he quipped happily he didn't miss the paleness or the fine lines of exhaustion. "Morning Sprout!" chorused the boys "Morning all" he replied as he slumped into his chair taking a glass of orange juice and a slice of toast, he didn't see his father watching him, at the moment the only thing he was concentrating on was keeping the toast down. Jeff thought Alan was a bit paler than usual he could tell his son had a headache, as Alan finished his breakfast Jeff stated "Well boys time to get cleaning!" the routine for the first time was to completely clean the Villa for the summer vacation, sure it was done regularly but Jeff and the boys actually enjoyed spending the time cleaning their birds and having a laugh.

John headed to the hanger reminding Alan to meet him there, Jeff used this opportunity to snag Alan before they left the house "Alan" he called Alan turned around and wished he didn't all of a sudden he was seeing three of his father, blinking to clear the image he barely had time to blink before a hand was on his shoulder leading him out of the kitchen to his father's study and pushing him into a chair. Jeff looked at his son critically he knew about the flu epidemic and was concerned to see the disorientation in Alan's eyes as he lead them to his office.

He handed Alan a glass of water and two pain killers, Alan accepted them without complaint sighing as the cold water cooled his sore throat. He looked at his father sheepishly Jeff smirked sympathetically 'yep kiddo you're in for a rough few days' he thought before asking "Alan how do you feel?" Alan kept staring at his father, 'how the heck does he do that' he thought, "I've felt better" there was no point in lying to his father, "I guess I've caught that flu bug going around school" he sighed as he felt his father's cool hand on his forehead. Jeff laughed "I'd say you have, you have a pretty high fever and I'm sure the headache's not helping". Alan looked at him " Yeah your right" "Come on, let's get you back to bed, I'm sure John can handle Tracy One" he chided as he helped Alan out of the chair grabbing his arm as he swayed dangerously on his feet. Alan held onto his father's arm tightly as the room span, he knew he was going to be sick "um dad, I'm gonna be sick!" he mumbled out before he dove for the trash can by his father's desk. Jeff held onto his son as he retched violently, rubbing calming circles on his back, he hated seeing any of his sons sick "Easy son, it will be over soon" he soothed 'poor kid never gets a break' he mused as Alan shivered and wiped his mouth "This sucks!" he deadpanned causing Jeff to laugh.

Jeff helped Alan up the stairs to his room, making sure he was comfortable he went to the bathroom and grabbed a glass of water to put on the bedside cabinet. Jeff sat beside his son "The trash can is beside the bed incase you can't make it" he knew that the flu completely wiped his youngest son of his strength "Sleep well and feel better soon" he whispered as he closed the door. His next task was to tell his other sons that Alan would not be joining them. He hit the com buttons for the boys watches, he smiled as their faces appeared on the vid link in his office as usual Scott was first followed by Virgil, John and lastly Gordon "Yes father?" came the reply Jeff smirked as he looked at his sons, "Okay boys, just wanted to let you know that Alan will not be joining you, he's come down with that flu bug that's going around his school" he waited two seconds before he was bombarded with questions "Is he okay?" "Do you want us to stay with him?" "Can we do anything?" "Can we see him?" "Does he need anything?". Jeff laughed before answering their questions seeing the anxious faces "Alan will be fine in a few days, no I want you to continue your tasks he has everything he needs at the minuet and you can see him later when's he up to it". The boys nodded their consent, "Oh and boys if you need anything I'll be in Alan's room" he smiled before disconnecting the com and headed towards Alan's room, making a detour into the kitchen for supplies namely a pitcher of water, some painkillers and coffee. As he neared Alan's room he could hear his youngest moan and then retch. Jeff sighed this was always harder on the youngest even Virgil was worse off when it was flu season, lucky for him Brains had given the boys flu shots as soon as he heard about the epidemic at the school, Unfortunally Alan never got his shot as he was already exposed to the virus and just had to let it runs its course. Unfortunally Brains had been called to Tracy Enterprises for an emergency meeting about the new design for the engines.

As he entered the room he set the tray down on the desk by the window, as Alan came stumbling out of the bathroom, Alan looked up at his father with a rather quiet "hey" then went back to bed. Jeff's lip curled into a lopsided grin as he looked at his youngest, Alan was never one to give up on anything even the flu. Before Alan could fall asleep Jeff handed him a glass of water with the instructions to sip it until it was half empty. As Alan made himself comfortable he noticed that his brothers were nowhere in sight and frowned, Jeff caught the look "I told them that they were not to disturb you until you felt up to it" he knew that Alan would argue that they cheered him up but having your older brothers mother hen you from the first sign of sickness took a lot out of you, "Okay, thanks dad" was the soft reply as sleep claimed him. Alan never felt the cold cloth on his forehead or the gentle kiss that his father placed on his forehead.

Jeff settled into the chair by the bed, grabbing a cup of coffee and some paperwork he kept himself 'entertained' as he kept a vigil over his youngest son.

"This sucks!" cried Gordon startling everyone. John looked at him "Well if you want a hand all you have to do ask, I've finished Tracey One" Gordon looked at him confused causing Scott and Virgil to laugh, "That's not what I meant, sure I could use the help but I meant about Alan, he was looking forward to starting his training this week" a collective sigh went around, "it's just not fair on him, after everything that happened over spring break, he deserves to relax a little and do what he earned to do!" Scott smirked "Gordo that's the most thoughtful thing you've said since Alan came home" causing everyone to laugh Scott never saw the wet rag heading towards him until it smacked him right in the face sending Virgil in to hysteria with laughter, Scott grabbed the cloth "Oh this means war!" he yelled as he lifted his own cloth and flung it at John who ducked in time to see Scott's cloth smack Gordon in the face. The war had begun and nothing except intervention was going to stop it for a few hours anyway. Once they actually finished their tasks they headed back to the house for some refreshments, John detoured to Alan's room and quietly pushed the door open, he smiled at the sight his father and baby brother were both fast asleep, Just as john was leaving the room a faint noise brought him back to the bed Alan was shivering, mumbling something incoherent trapped in the throws of a fever induced nightmare. As quietly as he could without waking his father he lent down beside his brother and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him awake "Alan, wake up it's okay" he whispered repeatedly almost immediately Alan calmed down his eye fluttering open, blinking a few time to clear the fuzziness away he locked on to John. A frown appearing on his fevered brow, John gave him a reassuring smile before handing him the glass of water by the bed "Sip it slowly" he stated Alan nodded then winced, remembering why he felt like hell. Suddenly he paled his stomach rejecting the few sips of water, John barely had time to get the trash can before his brother retched violently over the side of the bed, John flinched "Easy sprout" he soothed rubbing his back.

The retching had woken Jeff up who immediately bolted to the side of the bed, only then realising that John was with them, once Alan was finished and safely tucked back into bed John told his father to go get something to eat, he'll stay with Alan. His father smiled at him "Okay, but call me if he needs anything" "F.A.B" was Johns only reply as he tended to his brother. As Jeff headed down to the kitchen he could hear the laughter between his sons, as he entered the kitchen the three remaining sons pounced on him for permission to see Alan, Jeff chuckled "Easy, Easy he's okay, asleep for the meantime and John's with him". A collective sigh went round the room, Scott came over to his father pushing him into a chair and handing him a cup of coffee and something to eat with the instruction to get some rest when he finished. Jeff looked at his eldest with an amused looked "Yes father" he retorted earning a chuckle from the three of them.

Alan moaned as he turned over, blinking until he could focus clearly he was not surprised to see John in the chair his father has previously occupied. He smiled knowing no matter how often he was hurt of sick his brothers always took care of him and his father, he chuckled his father would have sat their day and night if his brothers didn't mother hen in doing what they told him to and he was thankful for it, he really didn't want his father or brothers getting sick but he knew it would happen anyway. He was thankful to have a family who cared deeply about each other. He was brought out of his thoughts by John staring at him "Hey" he croaked John smiled "Hey yourself, how do you feel?" he asked placing his hand on Alan's forehead, 'fever's dropping' he mused. Alan sighed contently "My head still hurts and my stomach's still unsettled apart form that I feel fine" he replied drowsily. John handed him some painkillers, "Get some more sleep sprout" Alan nodded tiredly mmmm mmmm he mumbled sleep claiming him instantly.

John stretched and decided that he'd go get something to eat, as he entered the kitchen he could not help but laugh at his father's rebuke. Everyone spun around "Is everything okay?" the worry in the voices unmistakable, "Yeah, he woke up a few minutes ago, he still has a headache and an upset stomach apart form that he says he's fine, also the fever is almost gone" John reported happily. "Thank God!" exclaimed Virgil, "Poor kid needs a break, I think I'll go check on him anyway" he said as he departed the kitchen, quickly followed by Scott and Gordon causing Jeff to laugh "Thanks John" "Nothing to it dad, he's my baby brother".

Epilogue

A few days later Alan joined his father and three brothers at breakfast, feeling way beyond better he kept thinking how lucky he is to have a family that cares as much as his. He looked at them smiling "Where's John?" Jeff looked at his sons "He said he'd be down in a minuet" stated Virgil just as he finished the sentence John appeared at the door look miserable, "Hey John what took you so long!" laughed Gordon as he held up a bowl of porridge to his brother, Jeff was looking intently at his son noticing the colour drain from Johns face as he watched him bolt from the kitchen. Laughing he said "Looks like Johns caught the flu" Scott, Gordon and Virgil shared a horrified look and ran to their rooms, yelling how they were due to go up to Thunderbird 5. Alan sat laughing at the antics thinking 'what a great family I have' as he helped himself to the porridge.

Well folks that all I've got for now. Hope you enjoyed the story as usual r & r appreciated

Nicky xx


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